The Australian skipper has executed superb consecutive hundreds to steer her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless 10-wicket victory over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113, arriving just a few days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.
“I felt I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and move on,” she said.
Interestingly, the utmost professionalism of the day's run-chase as the duo added 202 runs followed perhaps the team's poorest display in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for spilling two of the six chances that were missed.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and fortunately delivered,” Healy continued.
Since data was initially recorded on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the six dropped catches marked the team's poorest fielding display at a World Cup tournament.
“Maybe it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” the captain said.
This allowed the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their highest total in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter compiling the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.
But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was crucial to making sure the team's chase wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Pleased with Victory that Confirms Semi-Final Place
The Australian skipper was pleased to learn that the victory, which puts her undefeated side at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a place in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she said.
The 35-year-old captain raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from her partner later in the innings after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.
The Opener Impresses with Maiden Tournament Fifty
The young batter Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her maiden tournament fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after Healy got there off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, the captain spilled the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a tough lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clear catch off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their appeal.
The reinstated Brown bowled the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was still the team's most expensive bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Thrive as King Leads
Instead, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by Alana King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Other spinners Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her tally to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's not out 66 runs off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their highest-ever score against the Aussies, but the target was made to look straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 against India a few days before.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said star performer Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to take on England and South Africa.”
